Improved flow cytometric detection of donor-specific HLA class II antibodies by heat inactivation

Flow cytometry is a powerful technique for T-cell crossmatching but is prone to false-positive reactions with B cells. In this study the flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM) was performed in 319 cases, using the patient's serum untreated and incubated at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes. Heat treatment inhibited B-cell reactivity in 30 of 39 cases. Flow cytometry testing with latex beads coated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II antigens showed no class II antibodies in sera that were completely inhibited by heat treatment. There was no inhibition of class I antibodies to either T or B cells, or of class II antibodies to B cells. Experiments with aggregated IgG showed that inhibition by heat treatment is likely due to the prevention of complement binding to aggregates or dissociation of aggregates, or both. We conclude that heat inactivation is a simple step that eliminates false-positive reactions in the B-cell flow cytometry crossmatch.     

Comparison of ingestive effects of brewer's yeast,casein, and soy protein on bioavailability of dietary iron

The effects of brewer's yeast, casein, and soy protein intakes on the absorption and retention as well as the incorporation into hemoglobin and systemic iron stores of dietary iron were examined in an animal experiment with growing rats. Relative biological values (RBV) of iron in the rats fed casein (C), soy protein (SP), and yeast (Y) diets were 1.00, 0.31, and 1.77, respectively. The apparent absorption of iron in Y-diet-fed rats was significantly higher than that in C- or SP-diet-fed rats. The hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE) of iron in Y group was significantly higher than those in C and SP groups. As a result of search for iron-absorptive enhancers (IAE) in yeast, RBV and HRE of the yeast-cell-wall-including diet turned out to be significantly higher than those of its lacking diet. These results suggest that IAE occurring in the yeast cell wall may be effective for iron absorption.     

Atopic dermatitis: therapeutic challenge in an infant with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa

Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) manifests as blisters that usually result from minor trauma. The severity of expression ranges from mild occasional blistering to severe extensive bullae. We report an infant with dystrophic EB worsened by atopic dermatitis (AD). This concomitant skin disease exacerbated EB, because scratching induced bullae and milia. Careful management of AD provided a marked improvement in cutaneous involvement. This report shows that it is important to document and treat inflammatory skin disorders coexisting with EB, because they may influence the overall prognosis of EB.     

Preoperative Hyperoxyradiotherapy of Colorectal Carcinoma

Aim: The article focuses on the radioprotective effect of acute hypoxia on healthy tissues during preoperative accelerated hypoxyradiotherapy of colorectal carcinoma performed as locoregional irradiation including the common iliac lymph nodes. Analysis of early and late side effects and complications.Patients and Methods: In this prospective study, early and late complications were assessed in 50 patients as a function of hypoxyradiotherapeutic dose increase. The preliminary treatment results of this radiotherapeutic modification were evaluated after a median follow-up of 48 months using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Between April 1991 and February 1997, 50 patients (36 men and 14 women) with colorectal carcinoma were treated preoperatively with locoregional accelerated hypofractionated hypoxyradiotherapy. The extent of disease was classified according to Dukes' criteria (A. four patients, B: 28 patients, C: 18 patients). We used a 20-MeV linear accelerator with two parallel opposed fields. Hypoxyradiotherapy was peformed extending from the perineum to the vertebral L4 region. Acute hypoxia was induced during irradiation by ventilation of a hypoxic gas mixture containing 7.8–8.0% oxygen. Total doses of 24 Gy/8 days, 28 Gy/9 days, and 32 Gy/10 days were applied in five, 20, and 25 patients, respectively. Low anterior resection or abdominoperineal amputation of the rectum was performed the day after completion of preoperative hypoxyradiotherapy. The early reactions after irradiation were evaluated according to the Common Toxicity Criteria of the National Cancer Institute (CTC-NCI).Results: Early postirradiation proctitis was documented in three and early radiation-induced cystitis in two patients only. Neither early nor late radiation-associated complications were observed in any of the three hypoxyradiotherapy schedules during the follow-up period of 6ndash;105 months. Based on Kaplan-Meier analysis (median 48 months), a 5-year overall survival rate of approximately 61.5% and a local relapse-free survival rate of approximately 84.2% can be expected. Treatment failures were predominantly systemic.Conclusion: We believe it can be concluded that acute hypoxia has a radioprotective effect on normal tissues during accelerated hypoxyradiotherapy of colorectal carcinoma. Hypoxyradiotherapy permits safe administration of doses higher than those tolerated by normoxic, noncancerous tissue, resulting in the amplification of the biological effect of radiation on tumor tissue and contributing to an improved outcome after combined radiosurgical treatment of colorectal carcinoma.     

眼前节内眼手术应用5％吡咯烷酮碘两种不同用法的前瞻性随机化比较研究

目的：确定5％吡咯烷酮碘采用两种不同的方法（结膜囊滴两滴和10ml溶液穹窿结膜冲洗）对降低结膜囊菌群的功效。方法：在这项前瞻性对照实验中。将行眼前节手术的200只眼随机分为对照组和研究组。两组病例术前均给予氧氟沙星滴眼液局部点眼和5％吡咯烷酮碘眶周区域皮肤擦洗消毒。术前对照组眼结膜囊内给予2滴5％吡咯烷酮碘溶液，研究组眼用5％吡咯烷酮碘溶液冲洗穹窿结膜。分别于术前和术后4个时间点行结膜细菌培养。结果：研究组78只眼中20只眼（26％）术前结膜细菌培养阳性：对照组94只眼中40只眼（43％）为阳性（P=0．02）。手术结束时。研究组78只眼中14只眼（18％）、对照组94只眼中30只眼（32％）结膜细菌培养阳性（PP=0．05）。结论：手术时应用5％吡咯烷酮碘溶液冲洗穹窿结膜与结膜囊仅点入两滴相比。前者显著降低了结膜细菌培养阳性率。     

Pulsed dye laser for Sturge-Weber syndrome.

Port wine stain of Sturge-Weber syndrome represents a cosmetic prejudice with social consequences. We have treated eight patients with a 585 nm pulsed dye laser. According to our experience, the treatment is not risky provided that adequate care is taken; the cosmetic result on the V1 port wine stain component is satisfactory.     

Impacts of breast-care techniques on prevention of possible postpartum nipple problems

An experimental study was designed to compare the effectiveness of three techniques on the prevention or reduction of nipple pain and cracked nipples during the first ten days postpartum. The methods were to apply warm compresses, to apply expressed breast milk or to give no treatment other than keeping the nipples dry and clean. Applying warm compresses or expressed breast milk was found to be less effective in preventing cracked nipples than simply keeping the nipples dry and clean. The number of cases with nipple pain was less in the group that applied expressed breast milk.